Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-03-01
Judge Cumnius and Sewers.

"uukeS eSummins ana h1Weyss
tooAhuHTcATED.I
SIRs: At the regular meeting Of
City Council on the 25th ult,, Walter
Cum Minis, Esq General J. Ii. Wilson
and Col. Waring discussed the necessl.
~ OF sewering the city under the Dat
ent OF Col. WAripg. Tho Presicent Of
Council invited any OF the citizens
present to give their views Ia reference
to the project. 1, with others, gave
mine, saying It WAS the most gigantic
Job since the buying Of the brandy.
wine rocks and Q most extraordinary
course for . Judge Of our Municipal
Court TO come down from his calling
- Judge 10 conceive and originate .
plan which he would participate In
the profits OF the contract, and especial
~ when the property owners would
have to bo tried before him on refusal
TO enter the sewer and pay tribute di.
rectly TO himself and his associates
This much I got ont, when 1 was
ehokod of BY Mr. BAynsrd, the Coun.
Gilman, moving to adjourn, which
they did, thereby depriving the citizens
OF saying . word In their own defence.
Now, slrs, allow me to say, have no
personal grievances against Judge
Oummtns or any other citizen, but, sirs,
l claim the right to ssy how job Of
this magnitude ought to be done, aud
who should do II. It 10 . fact that our
salaried officers Of this city can hold az
many offices rs they please. Mr..
Cummins holds the office Of city judg
he also practices law In our courts, and
now he wants the people Of our city TO
pay tribute TO him 70. 80 years, and
which, 90 far - can loarn. his portion
|of the profits would be about thirty
thousand dollars per year.
Now. sir, am willing these gentle.
msn should lay down this sewer ~ they
represent II the enforcing clause Is
taken ont; that is to say that Judge
Cummins or any other judge will not
have the power to enforce the poor
property owners to tap those sewers
whether they are able or not; 30 much
l1or that. / do not wish 1t understood
that do not want sewer or any other
city Improvement; decidedly do. My
plan, think, 10 plain and simple and
economical. The city Of Wilmington
is nicely adapted for sewering; In fact,
| 1t surface drains itself; but I am In
favor Of laying terra Gotta pipes from
Tenth street down TO the Christiana on
every parallel street with Market street
southerly and northerly from Tenth
street to the Brandywine, and m open
ing left opposite every property with =
cap or cover which could be removed
when required, which could be put ON
. map and show just where to tap the
pipe without breaking the pipe every
time Il Ii entered. The cross streets
could be run into these main pipes run
ming north and south. l am also In
favor OF having inlets At all the corners
OF the streets to conduct the surface
water into the sewer. am also In
favor OF paving one street each year
with Belgian block, which 10 the most
practicable, being lasting and smooth
to travel over; the street TO be paved up
against the curbstone. doing away with
the gutter, that 10 now only q rocepta.
Gle for flth. i am In favor Of ell thii
being done by . commission Of thre<
good men, who will give bonds for ths
faithful performance OF their duty.
am also in favor Of abolishing thu
City Council, ~ don't think there Il
enough OF money In Wilmington to rur
1t, the two parties being merged int
tho taxes OF the city to Day It's mem bers
com mitsee meeting fees, and when theI
commence on the Brandy wine park thu
appropriation will all be taken up will
me etings looking where the work shoult
be done. / am also In favor of abolish
ing the office of city judge 60 the peopl
will get Justice. As 1t Is now, he iB lik
John M. Clayton with the constitution
he locked the door, and threw they ke,
away, aud our Legislators tell us the,
can do nothing with II. Mr.. Cummin
) has got all the law in Wilmington Dol
tied up and has put the cork In the Dol
. tie. Let me give you an example: Th'
Q city hall bell rings at O'Clock sharI
! six days in the week, Mr.. Oummin
gets there sometimes on time, som
times at 9L, sometimes there Ia no PEI
son to try, sometimes there Ii one Q
q more. He gets through on an average /
!. about half an hour, which Is thre
Z hours per week, or one week In th
4 Iyear, which costs the city for his Sci
!. vices and his clerks, and keeping u
q the office, $2100.
a ID 1t any wonder We are going benin
n S5o, 900 per year? Then, he having q
r the law bottled up, he won't take u
cork out to let any Of our squires get
Ismsll; for instance: IL any officer wan
4 . warrant he goes to the squire and GO
q 1t; the squire binds him over to u
Municipal court. II he cannot civ
n bail he 10 sent over to jail at cost
the officer Of e. 90; he Is brought ov
- by the sheriff 1T Q cost Of $500; II
a IoAnnot pay his fine he is rent bAt
! IagAin ~ 81 90, making $6. 100 the coun
has to pay, because this Municip
ljudse Ia not permanently In his offic
Now sir, / say these squires ought
J. have jurisdiction with the Municip
1, judge, II his Office Is not abolished,
q, order to have somebody to do the bul
I, ness Of the city when 1t Is wante
4, With these remarks, conclude
r, thanking you for the space you hs
es given me In your valuable paper.
ell u. LEMON.